CNN’s JFK Assassination Special Takes Top Ratings Spot in Its Timeslot

CNN spun ratings gold out of national tragedy on Thursday night with its special about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

“The Sixties: The Assassination of President Kennedy” took the top ratings spot in cable news in its timeslot Thursday night in the demo, according to preliminary Nielsen numbers, and bested the news network’s successful recent documentary “Blackfish.”

The special, which is part of the Tom Hanks/Gary Goetzman-produced docu-series “The Sixties” and aired from 9 to 11 p.m., averaged 508,000 viewers in the key demo, besting Fox News, which had 487,000 viewers in the demo for the time period, and MSNBC, which had 181,000 viewers in the demo in the 9 to 11 p.m. slot.

In total viewers, however, Fox News still took first place in the timeslot, averaging 2.51 million for the time period. CNN was second with 1.321 million, while MSNBC drew third with 730,00.